New Crape Myrtle acquistion

[ABCarve]

I'm trying to get rid of trees and can't believe I got this. I'm not one for getting developed trees, let alone paying for them. Most of my trees I've collected or people give them to me. However, when I seen it, I knew I had to have it. This pot I have is just crying out for something and I think it's found its mate. Never had a crape before so it'll be a new experience. Probably pot it up after flowering. Doesn't have a pedigree so it'll spend winters in the greenhouse.

 

[AnutterBonsai]

what a pot!! what a tree!!!!

 

[VAFisher]

Nice. I like it a lot. How big is it - hard to tell from the pics? I would think it will definitely need protection in your area.

 

[just.wing.it]

Very cool.
Plan for a significant reduction next year, some of those straight branches?
Its very natural looking however.

 

[Maiden69]

That's a very nice tree! I was not a fan of crapes until I saw a natchez in person. The bark got my attention immediately, and is the reason I bought my luma as they share the same traits. I also bought a small crape last week... about 1/10 the size of that one.

 

[ABCarve]

Nice. I like it a lot. How big is it - hard to tell from the pics? I would think it will definitely need protection in your area.

It’s about 30” from the soil line. My unheated garage freezes but not much below that. I got it from Jim at Natures Way. They have them in the ground in Harrisburg PA. But they have a pedigree for hardiness.

 

[AnutterBonsai]

What are the recommendations for crepes with smaller leaves? I’m interested in the future to perhaps buy one and development myself.

 

[namnhi]

Love that pot!

 

[Balbs]

Beautiful tree and pot. Who made the pot?

 

[ABCarve]

Beautiful tree and pot. Who made the pot?

It's a Dave Bennett pot.

 

[Balbs]

It’s awesome, man! Great job.

 

[coh]

Wow, that's a really nice tree! It seems to flower on shortish branches which is unusual for a Crape Myrtle (I think). Must be some type of dwarf variety?

Great score...I would have jumped all over that if I saw it somewhere.

 

[ABCarve]

Wow, that's a really nice tree! It seems to flower on shortish branches which is unusual for a Crape Myrtle (I think). Must be some type of dwarf variety?

Great score...I would have jumped all over that if I saw it somewhere.

I’m a total noob with these. I’m looking for info myself. I traded pots for it.

 

[coh]

I’m a total noob with these. I’m looking for info myself. I traded pots for it.

Talk to Mark A about them, he has one or two nice ones. I don't see them too often around here.

 

[VAFisher]

It’s about 30” from the soil line. My unheated garage freezes but not much below that. I got it from Jim at Natures Way. They have them in the ground in Harrisburg PA. But they have a pedigree for hardiness.

Interesting. I have some in the ground here in central VA that usually experience some die back over the winter. I have 4 in pots that I also keep in my garage over winter to be safe.

They are very nice to work with - grow fast, can take drastic pruning of roots and branches and have that nice, smooth exfoliating bark. I've had success doing root work at the traditional time and also in early summer. Mine don't usually flower because I keep them pruned back. Mine soak up all the sun I can give them and like water a lot. Fall color is also usually very nice.

 

[coh]

Interesting. I have some in the ground here in central VA that usually experience some die back over the winter. I have 4 in pots that I also keep in my garage over winter to be safe.

They are very nice to work with - grow fast, can take drastic pruning of roots and branches and have that nice, smooth exfoliating bark. I've had success doing root work at the traditional time and also in early summer. Mine don't usually flower because I keep them pruned back. Mine soak up all the sun I can give them and like water a lot. Fall color is also usually very nice.

They are fantastic trees. We lived in Virginia for a while and grew to love them, but up here they won't survive in the ground. I have seen a few newer and smaller varieties for sale with the claim that they can handle our winters, but...I don't know, maybe in a really protected spot.

Bill V had a bunch of the dwarf Crapes at one point and I came so close to buying one, but never did. I'd like to get one someday.

 

[VAFisher]

They are fantastic trees. We lived in Virginia for a while and grew to love them, but up here they won't survive in the ground. I have seen a few newer and smaller varieties for sale with the claim that they can handle our winters, but...I don't know, maybe in a really protected spot.

Bill V had a bunch of the dwarf Crapes at one point and I came so close to buying one, but never did. I'd like to get one someday.

I've grown the pokomoke dwarf variety for a number of years. They make great mame and shohin sized trees relatively quickly. I don' think they are very hardy though as they almost always die back a little in the winter, even in my garage. I would usually lose most of the fine twigs. They tolerate most anything you want to do to them otherwise though.

 

[ABCarve]

Interesting. I have some in the ground here in central VA that usually experience some die back over the winter. I have 4 in pots that I also keep in my garage over winter to be safe.

They are very nice to work with - grow fast, can take drastic pruning of roots and branches and have that nice, smooth exfoliating bark. I've had success doing root work at the traditional time and also in early summer. Mine don't usually flower because I keep them pruned back. Mine soak up all the sun I can give them and like water a lot. Fall color is also usually very nice.

This seems to be in peat. The root ball is very light. I can pick it up with one hand. Probably put it in APL supplemented with chopped orchid moss for moisture in mid-September. Not sure what I’ll find in there

 

[Carol 83]

I bought a crape from Zach Smith last year and one from the FB auctions. They both made it through the winter here in the unheated, detached garage, although one didn't leaf out at all until June. I have since added another pink one that I love. Yours is great, can't wait to see it in that pot.

 

[VAFisher]

This seems to be in peat. The root ball is very light. I can pick it up with one hand. Probably put it in APL supplemented with chopped orchid moss for moisture in mid-September. Not sure what I’ll find in there

I keep mine in a mix of lava, mvp and pine bark and they seem to like that. They'll fill a pot with roots in a season - don't think they would be too particular about what they are growing in.